


Pets Know Best

by Inner_Devil



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Complete, Death, Fluff, M/M, Pets, Shelter, Smut, proposal, proposing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-08 10:57:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5494661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inner_Devil/pseuds/Inner_Devil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian and Jim have no idea what they're in for when they meet in a vet's office. Sebastian's dog Fritz needs a check up. Jim's cat Luci isn't eating and won't walk anywhere. So what happens when these two strangers meet in the office because of their pets?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Chance Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Something quick I decided to write because of my cat and dog

"Luci, cut that out. You're going to be fine," Jim insisted, though he wasn't so sure. The Maine Coon had been acting odd for the past few days, so Jim had brought him into the local vet's office to be examined. He hadn't expected it to be so crowded though. There were strangers and their....pets everywhere and neither Jim nor Luci was happy about it.

The Maine Coon let out a small, weak noise of discomfort and Jim stroked him gently. "Shh, it's okay. Just a bit longer," he murmured. He gasped though as a large German Shepherd bounded over and started sniffing the cat thoroughly. "Oi! Get away! Who's dog is this?!" Jim shouted, holding his cat close.

"Fritz, Ferse!" Sebastian ordered sharply, calling the dog back to his side. "Sorry about that. He's just really friendly," he told the man. "I'm Sebastian Moran. And you've met my dog, Fritz. Sorry again for the surprise. He's usually better behaved."

"I don't care who you are. Luci is ill and your bloody beast could have given him a heart attack!" Jim snapped.

Sebastian held his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, I said I was sorry," he defended, eyes narrowing. "It's not my fault your cat is sick, all right? And I apologised. You need to get over yourself. You're not the only one with a sick pet."

Jim rolled his eyes. "Luci is far more important than any mangy mutt around here. He's my business partner. He needs to heal so he can get back to work," he told the man firmly.

"Yeah, right. Like a cat really does any work," Sebastian scoffed. "Fritz does way more than that furball ever could." Sebastian had never been much of a cat person. They were lazy, aloof, and often cruel. Nothing like dogs. Dogs were loyal, protective, and always there for you.

"He does more than your beast," Jim argued. "Luci is a wonderful work partner for my business. And he still has claws, so he can defend himself when he needs to. Your creature just slobbers and shites all over rugs." He hated dogs. They were messy and loud and needed far too much attention. He preferred cats. They were much more sophisticated.

Sebastian sighed. "Look. I'm not a cat person and you're clearly not a dog person. But I know how it feels when your best friend is sick and no one should have to go through that alone," he told the man, kneeling down. "Can I have a look? I used to help take care of my sister's cat. Little bastard hated me, but I learned a thing or two about helping cats."

Jim eyed the man warily, but nodded and settled Luci in his lap. He watched as Sebastian looked Luci over from head to paws, then smiled. "He'll be just fine," Sebastian assured him, standing up again. "This is all that was causing the problem," he added, holding up a thorn that had been stuck in the pad of Luci's foot. "He wouldn't have wanted to walk around with this in his foot, so he wouldn't have gotten up to eat or anything. He should be just fine soon."

"That was all?" Jim asked, glancing between Sebastian and Luci. "You had me worried sick, Luci! And all for a thorn in your paw." He sighed, hugging the cat close. "Just don't do it again."

Sebastian smiled. "Sorry again about Fritz. I'll get him away from Luci. You won't have to worry about him anymore," he assured the man, starting to head back to their seats.

  
"Wait," Jim insisted softly. "You figured out what was wrong with Luci. You could at least sit down over here and tell me why the hell you decided to help a stranger. Especially after your moronic dog frightened my cat."

Sebastian chuckled, knowing that was an invitation to sit down. Reluctant, perhaps, but an invitation all the same. "All right," he agreed, bringing Fritz over to sit down with them. "You never did tell me your name, you know."

"Jim," the brunette replied. "And this is my baby, Luci."

"Luci? Um.....Hate to break it to you, mate, but that cat's a bloke," Sebastian told him.

"I know. Luci is a nickname," Jim explained, petting the cat's dark fur.

"Oh. What's it short for?" Sebastian asked.

"Lucifer," the shorter, smaller man told him with a smirk. "This is Lucifer Moriarty. My assistant. And I suppose you could call him a friend." He chuckled at the look of surprise on the muscular man's face.

"Oh....Well, that's.....different," Sebastian commented. "Like I said, this is Fritz. It's German for peaceful ruler. Or in reference to a German soldier. Figured it was pretty fitting for him. Fritz here is pretty peaceful most of the time. But if there's a threat, he'll go on the attack. He responds to German and English commands," he added.

"Impressive. And what about you?" Jim asked with a smirk.

"What, you mean what commands do I respond to?" Sebastian chuckled. "If you've got the right touch, I'll do whatever you say," he purred with a wink. "But I do speak multiple languages. German, Russian, English, Spanish. Oh, and a bit of sign language," he commented.

Jim raised a brow and nodded. "Impressive. What do you do for a living?" he asked. Sebastian was about to respond when he was called back for Fritz's appointment. "Sorry, I've got to go. Catch up later though, yeah?" he suggested, getting to his feet. "Here. Here's my number. Give me a call and we can pick up where we left off."

Jim smiled as he took the number and nodded. "I'll call later," he replied, getting to his feet. "Thanks again for your help with Luci." Sebastian nodded and the two parted ways. But Sebastian couldn't stop thinking about the man. He imagined running his fingers down the raven-haired man's milky white skin, leaving marks on his neck and kicking the cat out of the room to have a bit of fun. Little did he know that Jim was thinking of him as well, and in a few different contexts. While Sebastian was imagining him shirtless, he was thinking of Sebastian out in the field, shooting people for him. He did a little research on this Sebastian Moran and found that he was an ex-army colonel on dishonourable discharge for shooting a fellow officer after a dispute between the two. Interesting.....Very interesting..... That night both men went to bed with images of the other in their minds.


	2. The New Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pets aren't in this one so much, sorry! Their masters needed a bit of time to themselves. But they'll be back.

The next day, both men went about their day. Sebastian woke with the sun, going out for a job, then working out in his flat. Fritz was at his side the entire time, even eating breakfast at the same time as his master. Sebastian was looking through the paper for a job when his phone buzzed. He smiled when he looked at the caller ID. Jim. It must be. No other unknown numbers would call him.

"Hello?" he answered with a smirk.

"Dishonourable discharge, hm? Such a naughty boy," Jim purred from the other end of the line. Sebastian froze and frowned.

"How did you know about that?" he asked, his tone tense and quiet. "No one's supposed to know about that. Who the hell are you, really? How did you figure that out?"

Jim just chuckled. "Don't you worry about that. I'm not calling to threaten you or anything of the sort. After all, you did help my little Luci. I'm calling to offer you a job."

"What makes you think I need one?" Sebastian grumbled.

Jim scoffed. "Please. Dishonourably discharged ex-colonel with PTSD and an adrenaline addiction? You wouldn't be able to hold down a job for long. You need something that civilian life can't give you. But I can. Meet me at the Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester immediately. We'll discuss the business proposal there." Without another word, he hung up.

Sebastian sighed, putting his phone away and running a hand through his hair. "What did we get ourselves into, Fritzy?" he sighed to his dog, petting the German Shepherd gently. The dog whined and got up on the sofa, placing his head on Sebastian's lap.

About 20 minutes later, Sebastian was leaving his flat in dark jeans and a button down, a leather jacket covering his torso as he headed out. "I'll be back soon, Fritz. Be good," he called to his dog as he locked up and left. It took him about half an hour to get to the restaurant and he let out a low whistle when he arrived. Damn, this place looked expensive. He felt incredibly underdressed now as he made his way inside. 

"Um...I'm supposed to be meeting Jim here," he told the man up front, who sighed at him. "Mr. Moriarty is in his private room," he replied, leading Sebastian back. Everyone there seemed so stuck up and wealthy. Sebastian had no idea what he was doing here. Why couldn't they just get some takeaway or something? He glanced around as he was led past a dark, velvet curtain and into a private room where Jim was waiting. 

"Have a seat, Sebastian," Jim invited the other with a smile. "I won't bite. Much. And I don't have Luci here, so there's nothing for you to be concerned about."

"I doubt that," Sebastian muttered, taking a seat across from the brunette. "So.....What do you want?" he asked bluntly. But Jim just laughed. 

"All in due time, darling. Why don't you just enjoy the restaurant. I'm paying, after all," Jim hummed. "Order whatever you'd like. Don't worry about the price tag."

Sebastian looked over the menu and ended up ordering a steak and some whiskey. He hadn't had a decent steak in ages. Not with his army pension being the only thing keeping him off the streets. "Why am I here?" he demanded. "Look, I like you and all. But how did you figure all that shit out about me and why did you tell me to meet you here? What business proposal?"

"So many questions," Jim sighed. "That's the problem with most people. They don't know the right questions to ask. And even if they did, they lack the motivation and intelligence to find the solution to their own issues. That's why they call me. Well, email me usually. I don't deal with people directly. Not most of the time. I hate getting my hands dirty." He made a face, scrunching his nose up in disgust. "See, darling, I'm a consultant. A very rare one. The only one of my kind, in fact. I'm a Consulting Criminal. People come to me when they need to disappear and I make it happen. I cherry pick the jobs I take. Only the interesting ones. I have enough money of my own to deny certain jobs, no matter how much they pay. And, should you come to work for me, you would be able to live comfortably for the rest of your life."

Now this had Sebastian's attention. Consulting Criminal? Making people disappear? What was all this shit? Was he dreaming? That had to be it. He had to be asleep. Fritz would lick him any second now and it would be time to wake up for his morning job. But that wasn't the case.

"Sebby, dear. Do focus," Jim cooed. "I'm offering you a position in my Empire. I'm typically in the market for new snipers and you're one of the best there is. You'd start out at a basic level and work your way up. But from what I've seen in my research, you may just make it up to my second in command. We'll see. You have to prove yourself just like everyone else. So I suppose we could start you off with the base salary of, say, £6,500 a month."

Sebastian's jaw nearly dropped. "£6,500 a month? Are you serious?" he asked. He'd make a fortune if he managed to save that over a few years. He swallowed and nodded. "What would I have to do?"

Jim smiled. "Basic sniper duties to begin with. Shooting from various locations. Minimal traveling. You'll be busy, of course. And there will be some paperwork involved. But you won't need to do more than faking deaths and committing actual murders. So. Do we have a deal?" he asked.

Sebastian thought for a moment, nodding in thanks to the waiter as their meals were brought. His steak was medium rare with a side of mashed potatoes, while Jim just had a side salad and a glass of water. They sat in silence, Jim allowing Sebastian a moment to think things over. Sebastian had nearly finished his steak when he finally came up with an answer.

"All right. I'll do it," the former soldier decided with a nod. "When do I start?"

Jim smirked victoriously. "Tomorrow morning. I'll text you the information for your first assignment tonight so you know where to go," he assured the man. "Oh, and I'll be providing a new flat for you so I can keep tabs on you. I do it for all of my employees. Besides, yours is a bit of a shithole right now. I think Fritz will be much happier with the one I've chosen for you. Your thing have already been moved there. See you tomorrow." He left the restaurant, Sebastian not far behind. The meal was added to Jim's tab at the restaurant, which would be paid at the end of the month. Both men went home, though Sebastian soon noticed his former flat was now empty, not even Fritz or a dog toy in sight. He checked his phone and found a text containing an address. He went there and found all of his belongings in place with Fritz greeting him at the door. "Holy shit," he murmured as he looked around. "Where the hell does this bloke get his money? Everything he's done is so fucking expensive," he thought aloud. The kitchen had all top of the line appliances, sterling silver, and granite countertops. But the furniture and decor was all Sebastian's. Fritz had his own bedroom set up now, but Sebastian knew he wouldn't use it. The Shepherd had slept with him every night since he was a pup. 

The pair enjoyed the new home they had, watching telly for a while before dinner and going to bed. Jim was doing nearly the same with Luci, though they enjoyed the wealth Jim had all the time. He hardly had the biggest flat though. No, that would be too suspicious. He stuck to smaller flats, though he made sure he owned the one above the nearest Vivienne Westwood shop. It was where he got his favourite suits, after all. 

By 11 pm, both men were cuddled up in bed with their pets, ready to get a full night's rest before their busy next day.


	3. On the Job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one doesn't have much going on, but hopefully you'll enjoy it. Fritz gets to be with Sebastian during work, yay!

The next morning, Sebastian woke to a message on his phone. Jim had sent him a file for his work guidelines and a meeting location. The blonde sighed, getting up for his work out before showering and feeding himself and Fritz. He was right on time getting to Jim's office where the man had told him to come. "Hello?" he called, tapping at the door before opening it. 

"Sebastian, come in," Jim answered. "I've got your work for the day. Oh, and you'll want to retrieve Fritz. He'll be trained to work with you. We won't assign him to work with anyone else. It wouldn't work out anyway." Lucifer revealed himself then, coming out from under Jim's desk and strolling along the top instead. Sebastian chuckled. "Hey, Luci. Good to see you're back on your feet," he commented, petting the cat gently. The Maine Coon hissed and hopped down onto Jim's lap though, glaring at Sebastian. The blonde sighed.

"Guess he still isn't a huge fan of me," the blonde commented.

Jim chuckled. "He doesn't like anyone. Well, except me. It was one of the things that drew me to him," he admitted. He rarely allowed himself to reveal so much about himself to employees, but Sebastian was different. There was just something about him, besides the fact that he'd helped Luci heal. "I'd suggest getting to work, Moran. You'll be busy. Drop Fritz off first. It's the first job in here," he told the man, handing over a thick manila folder. 

Sebastian nodded, taking the folder and looking through the jobs. "There's plenty to do, hm?" he thought aloud as he looked through some. "I'll take care of it."

"I know you will. The company arsenal is on the third floor where you'll be taking Fritz. Drop him off at room 238 on the second floor, then go to room 346 on the third floor and sign out whatever weapons you'll be needing," Jim told him. "Fritz will be training with various other attack dogs to do a similar job to yours. He will work with you on various jobs and I think you'll find that he'll be much happier having a job to do."

"He's already happy," Sebastian argued, though he'd do anything for his dog. Fritz meant the world to him and if a job would make him happier, he'd allow it. "I'll drop him off and then get to work. Should I just pick him up when I'm finished?"

Jim nodded. "The training today should be rigorous enough that he'll be ready to join you in the field tomorrow," he assured the other. "We'll see how he does. But he seems intelligent enough to pick this up."

Sebastian smiled and nodded. "All right. Consider it done," he answered, leaving with the folder. As promised, he dropped Fritz off for training and signed out the rifle he needed, then went to work. He took a lunch break, but was working through the rest of the day. Jim didn't even take a lunch break. He gave Luci some food for lunch, but otherwise didn't leave his work. He was constantly on the phone with potential clients, employees, and people trying some extortion. Both men were exhausted by the end of the day. But Sebastian came back to Jim's office at the end of the day, turning in the folder. "It's done. And Fritz seems pretty tired. But happy. Guess you were right," he chuckled. 

Fritz was curled up on the floor, napping lightly. He hardly seemed to be paying attention to anything going on around him. He'd been worked hard that day with the other attack dogs. He'd already worked with Sebastian in the military though, so he knew the commands they were giving in English, sign language, and German. But the pure intensity of the work they'd put him through was more than he'd handled in ages and he was exhausted. Lucifer noticed the dog's behaviour and came down from the desk while their owners were talking, strolling over to the large tan and black dog. He sniffed the creature curiously and, receiving no response, curled up next to it and began to purr, deciding to take a nap of his own.

Sebastian noticed them and chuckled. "Looks like Luci's taken a liking to Fritz," he commented.

Jim looked over and smiled. "It would seem so," he agreed. "And I'll admit I may have taken a liking to his owner," he hummed with a smirk. "I may just allow him to take me out to dinner, should he ask."

Sebastian chuckled. "Well then, Jim Moriarty, would you like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night? You can come to my place and I'll cook for us," he suggested.

"Sounds wonderful. I'll be there around 6 pm," Jim agreed with a nod. "Come on, Luci. Come with Daddy. We need to go home. Leave your friend alone for tonight." 

The cat hopped back on top of Jim's desk and cuddled into his master's arms, ready to go. Jim smiled. "Good night, Sebastian. We'll see you tomorrow."

Both men went home with their pets, smiling at the thought of their date the next night. It had been years since either had ever dated, so it would be a bit of an adventure for them. They'd try for one another though. Of course, Jim would be hiding the fact that he was trying at all. He considered bringing Lucifer with him for comfort and to see Fritz, but he wasn't sure. He fell asleep trying to figure out the date to come.


	4. The Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Sebastian's date night

Sebastian's day seemed to fly by. He'd gotten a good night's rest, despite his worrying over their date that night, and he and Fritz got to work together the next day. They got all of their work done easily, having worked together since Fritz was a pup. 

Jim, on the other hand, hardly seemed to be able to focus. He hadn't had a date since....well, he honestly couldn't remember when. Had he ever had a date? That wasn't important, he reasoned. He could go on his first date now. He just needed to do some research. Getting his laptop ready, he ran various searches, including 'first date attire', 'gifts for the first date', and 'Do I really want to go on a date?' But none of them gave the answers he needed. He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, Lucifer on the top. 

"Luci, what am I doing? I'm losing my mind over this!" Jim told the cat, petting him gently. "It's ridiculous! Why should I worry about something so trivial? I never concerned myself with these things before. It always seemed so dull to me. But now.....I don't know. Something is different. I've never felt this sensation for anyone else. Even for Sherlock! What's wrong with me, Luci?" he sighed.

"Mrrrow," Lucifer responded, rubbing up against his master. Jim sighed once more. "Why couldn't I be a cat with you?" he mumbled, petting Lucifer gently. "You never have to worry about dates. But I suppose if I were a cat, I wouldn't be able to do much about the dull humans that bore me."

Lucifer seemed to understand everything his master said, though he couldn't respond in a way Jim could understand. They did have a bond that allowed Jim to know what his pet needed, but they didn't understand one another's languages. It wasn't a magic bond or anything like that. Jim maintained his stance that magic wasn't real. It was a ridiculous notion, in his opinion. But that didn't matter right now. Right now all he needed to think about was his date that night. He ended up going home early to pick his clothes and decide what exactly his expectations for this date were.

That night, he showed up at Sebastian's door at precisely 6 pm, knocking at the door. Sebastian smiled as he answered, raising a brow as a bottle of wine was suddenly pushed towards him.

"What's this for?" he asked, taking it inside and leading Jim to the sofa.

"A host gift. Isn't that what one does?" Jim asked, taking a seat. "You're providing the food, so I brought something. Some wine. It's good." He hoped his nerves weren't showing.

Sebastian chuckled. "You didn't have to do that. But thanks," he replied, setting the wine in his kitchen. "I just finished make dinner. Hope pasta's all right with you," he commented.

"Pasta will be wonderful," Jim agreed with a nod. Then a small meow sounded from the bag Jim had been holding the wine in. Fritz sniffed around the bag and stuck his nose in it only to quickly pull back when he was hissed at and swatted with a clawed paw. Lucifer slunk out of the bag and onto Jim's lap, growling at the dog with his ears pinned back. "Oh, um..... Luci wouldn't let me leave without him, so he had to come too. Sorry," he lied, hoping Sebastian wouldn't mind. Really, his cat was just a great comfort to him. Petting the Maine Coon calmed him immensely and he hoped it would help with the nerves he was experiencing on his date.

Sebastian smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'll try to keep Fritz from bugging him too much. I don't need him getting hurt, after all. And it would be his own fault if it happened when he was sticking his nose where it didn't belong," he chuckled. "Fritz, cut that out. Leave the poor cat alone," he scolded, calling the dog back to his side. "Sorry he gets so curious. But you were right about giving him a job. He's really happy now and he goes to bed much easier now."

Jim smiled and nodded. "Of course. I do know pets, after all," he commented with a smirk. Sebastian just chuckled and kept cooking. He made their dinner and set it out with a bit of help from Jim, pouring them each some wine as well. Throughout the evening, they asked each other questions, laughed, and just enjoyed one another's company. Sebastian found himself relaxing as time went on, enjoying the wine Jim had brought. He had a bit of a buzz by the end of dinner, though Jim seemed fairly drunk. They ended up on the sofa together, watching ridiculous films and laughing at most of them. Lucifer and Fritz seemed content with one another now, respecting each other's boundaries and keeping from getting into fights. Jim drunkenly deduced the plots of movies and blathered on about the constellations and various other random topics. Sebastian had no idea Jim was even interested in half of the things they talked about. He just enjoyed listening to the Irish drawl that got even thicker when the man was drunk. It was adorable. And it only got better when Jim ended up falling asleep with his head in Sebastian's lap. The blonde smiled and put a blanket over the man, lying down with him. He fell asleep with Jim pressed up against him. It had to be the best night he'd ever spent with anyone.

Sure, he'd had girls stay with him overnight before. But it was never anything like this. He'd never gotten to share private thoughts like that, or just cuddle and spend the night without having to have sex. He'd never enjoyed anything like this, but it was perfect. Lucifer curled up in Sebastian's armchair, watching the two humans carefully while Fritz settled at the foot of the sofa on the floor. They all spent a quiet night together, not waking until the next morning.


	5. The End of Us?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This in't how it will end, I promise! Just a bit of angst thrown in there.

"Wha'?" Jim groaned as he woke, rubbing his eyes. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was, when he saw Fritz, then turned and saw Sebastian. "Fuck...." he murmured. How the hell had he let it get this far?! He shouldn't have had so much to drink. He'd probably gone and told Sebastian something incredibly personal and then gone and let the man shag him. He paused, moving around a bit. He wasn't sore.... Glancing around, he noticed there weren't any condoms lying around or anything of the sort. Maybe they hadn't had sex.... But even still, he shouldn't have spent the night. He needed to go.

Lucifer noticed his owner's distress and got to his feet, stretching out a bit. "Mmrrow?" he sounded inquisitively, tilting his head.

"Shh!" Jim insisted. He didn't want Sebastian to wake up. The small, pale Irishman slowly got to his feet and snuck over to get his shoes and coat. Sebastian woke before he made it all the way over though.

"Jim?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing? I haven't even made breakfast," he chuckled.

"Oh, um.....I was just...I have to go," Jim told him, getting to his feet again. "We have work to do and it's best not to wait too long to go in."

"We have time," Sebastian argued. "Come on. Let me make you breakfast, at least. Coffee?" he offered, then sighed. "Jim.....what's wrong?" he asked. "And don't say nothing. I know that look. It's like a bunny stuck in a corner. You're panicking, even if you don't want me to see it."

Jim froze. How the hell had Sebastian figured that out? He was usually so good disguising his emotions. Sebastian shouldn't have been able to see the fear he was hiding, even if the man had once been in the military and had to interrogate people. It shouldn't have been possible and yet here Sebastian was telling him exactly what he was feeling.

"We had sex, didn't we?" Jim asked quietly. 

Sebastian furrowed his brow. "What? Why would you think that?" he questioned.

"We were sleeping together on the sofa. Why would you do that unless we had sex and fell asleep afterwards?" the brunette pointed out.

"We were talking and you fell asleep. I got us some blankets and just decided to stay with you so you wouldn't think I'd run off. It was nice, actually," Sebastian explained. "We don't have to have sex to cuddle, Jim. And if it was that uncomfortable for you, then just say so. We don't have to do it at all. But I wouldn't have taken advantage of you like that. Not a chance. You were tipsy and I had a little buzz too. I knew better than to try anything and I wouldn't have with you anyway. Look, Jim, I really like you. I don't want to ruin this. I wouldn't have taken the chance of shagging while we were drunk and then having you regret it the next morning. I would never have taken advantage of you like some fucking dick. All we did was cuddle. I swear. There was no sex involved. If you still want to go, you can. But if you want, you can stay and I'll make breakfast, and then we'll go." 

Jim glanced between Sebastian and the door and eventually grabbed his coat. "I have to," he murmured, taking Lucifer and leaving the flat. He rushed away to get to his office, forcing himself to keep from showing any emotion. His mind was racing and he needed to figure things out. He couldn't do that with Sebastian nearby. The sniper seemed to cloud his mind all the time. Sebastian, however, figured Jim had left to end any chance they had at a relationship. That was it then. It was over. He'd never have Jim Moriarty. He sighed, making a minuscule breakfast for himself and feeding Fritz before taking them to work. Maybe he shouldn't even have this job.....


	6. Work Troubles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian's in a bit of trouble this time. Let's see if he can get himself out of it.

Sebastian was numb as he completed his work that day. Fritz whined and tried to cheer his master up, but to no avail. The former soldier just couldn't deal with the fact that he'd ruined everything with Jim after only one date. How could he have been so stupid?! He should've known better than to sleep pressed up against Jim like that. It was the most moronic, thoughtless thing he could've done and he'd done it without a second thought. 

Throughout the day, Sebastian started experiencing the stages of grief over his short lived relationship. He'd been in denial for a bit that morning. Maybe he still had a chance. After all, Jim hadn't seemed upset that morning at work. But as he continued working, he realised how stupid that was. Jim had freaked out that morning before leaving the flat. Of course he wouldn't want to stay together. What kind of moron did Sebastian think his boss was? Maybe it was for the best anyway. After all, everyone said Jim was a psychopath and would only hurt anyone who let him close enough to try. But Sebastian hardly cared about that. Hell, he'd let Jim kill him for an eternity and more if it meant they could be together. But he shouldn't have a relationship with his boss, should he? No, it could effect his work and get him fired at some point. He didn't want his work to be hurt by their relationship. So maybe it was god they weren't together anymore.

That's what Sebastian kept telling himself. But it wasn't working. He was pissed as he did his work, taking it out on his victims. He shot them more than necessary on occasion, though no one but the clean up crew that worked for Moriarty would see. He made sure to clean up all of the shells from his bullets and pocketed them to be thrown away after he got home. But as he left the roof of one of his jobs, he failed to notice the few bullet shells that had been left behind. He just headed back from the job, turning in his work and going home. Fritz seemed anxious with his master's strange mood. He didn't know what to do about it.

Jim had to force himself not to be distracted by the relationship issues throughout the day. Occasionally his mind would wander and he'd find himself wondering how Sebastian was doing. Was he upset? Angry? Did he know that Jim just needed time to think? Maybe he needed to give the man a call and explain things. Yes, that's what he'd do. He needed to clarify everything so Sebastian didn't run off and try to hook up with some slut at the pub. The last thing Jim needed was a lover of his ending up with an STD or worse, a kid.

Jim tried calling the blonde, but it went straight to voicemail. He tried again. And a third time. Still no response. "Seb? It's Jim. I'm getting a little worried now, since you haven't been answering. But I guess that isn't important. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that it's okay. I just needed time to clear my head a little. We're still together, if you still want me. Just give me a call, okay?" He sighed, hanging up. Why wasn't Sebastian answering him? He knew the man had left work already. Had something bad happened to him? Had he gotten in a car wreck? Had he been caught? Killed? Jim decided to do some searching, intent on making sure Sebastian wasn't in any trouble.

While Jim was searching, Sebastian was at his flat. He'd managed to down two whiskies already and was working on a third when suddenly the door to his flat was busted in and he was suddenly stormed by police officers. 

"Sebastian Moran, you're under arrest for the suspected murder of Thomas Waters. You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," one officer told him as another handcuffed him. 

"What the hell?! I didn't murder him! I don't even know who the bastard is! Why would I kill him?" the blonde argued, thrashing around. "I'm not going anywhere without a lawyer." Then he thought. "Let me call my boss. He'll tell you I was at work today. I just got home a little while ago. I couldn't have murdered anyone. I work for a consultant. Unless I managed to murder this Wattage bloke or whatever on my way home, there's no way it could've been me. I would've been doing paperwork."

"Waters. And he was murdered approximately two hours ago. You claim that your boss can confirm your alibi?" the officer asked. 

"Of course he can. Let me give him a call and he'll tell you," Sebastian told them. He was uncuffed and permitted a single call to his boss. "Come on.....Pick up. Please pick up," he murmured as the phone rang.

"Sebastian?" Jim answered, concern evident in his tone. "What happened? Are you hurt? You haven't been answering."

"I'm fine," Sebastian interrupted. "I just, uh....There's been a bit of confusion. See, my flat is currently full of police officers claiming I murdered some bloke I never even heard of. I just need you to tell them what I've been doing all day, okay? They said it was two hours ago, I think. Could you tell them exactly what I was doing then?"

Jim understood exactly what Sebastian needed. A lie. Something to tell the police so he wouldn't be arrested for the murder he really did commit. He didn't know how the sniper could've been so reckless, but he'd take care of it. Sebastian handed the phone over to the officer who put it on speaker phone. 

"Please state your name and relationship to the suspect," the officer commanded.

"Hi, I'm Edward Jamison. I'm Sebastian's boss," Jim answered, using one of his many aliases. "Sebastian tells me there's been a bit of a mix up?"

"He's suspected for the murder of Mr. Thomas Waters," came the reply. "It occurred two hours ago in the victim's flat. We found bullet shells from a rifle on the roof directly across from the flat, which would have had a perfect vantage point for murder. And there was a footprint containing the exact shoe size and gait of Mr. Moran. All of the evidence points to him, but he's provided an alibi. We need you to confirm his alibi. What was Mr. Sebastian Moran doing two hours ago?"

"Two hours ago? Let me see......He's been working since about 8 am. He just left maybe 20 minutes ago. He really couldn't have done that. Two hours ago he would've been filing some paperwork for our new client. He was seen by multiple other employees and I saw him myself. He was at work. I'm sorry, but you must have the wrong man. Sebastian never could've done it."

"See? I told you," Sebastian told them. He was soon uncuffed and the men left his flat. "Thanks, Jim," he sighed as they all left the building. "I owe you one."

"You owe me more than that. How the hell did you get caught?!" Jim snapped. "You're supposed to be the best there is! How could you be so careless?!"

"That's a bit of a long story," Sebastian sighed.

"Well? I'm listening," Jim replied.


	7. A Second Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jim gets Sebastian out of trouble and they discuss their relationship

After Sebastian had explained everything that happened and Jim shouted at him for being so careless as to leave the bullet shells at the scene, Jim decided to come over to Sebastian's flat so they could straighten things out. With the police officers gone to find the "real" culprit, Sebastian straightened up around the flat and made sure the door wasn't damaged from the police officers breaking it in. Thankfully it was fine, still on the hinges. He'd need to replace the deadbolt though. It would be fine. He wasn't worried about anyone breaking in. If they tried, he'd shoot them. 

Jim came by about 25 minutes after they hung up on the phone. He'd managed to calm down some by now and was going to attempt to explain the whole situation to Sebastian. He came inside the building and up to Sebastian's flat on the second floor, about to knock when he noticed the broken door. "I'll send someone to repair the door within the next 12 hours," he commented as he came inside. Fritz greeted the thin, short brunette as he came inside, wagging his large, furry tail furiously as he waited for the man's attention. Lucifer was draped across his master's shoulders, watching over everything with a suspicious glare. 

"Come on in," Sebastian answered sarcastically, sighing softly. "So, what was it you wanted to straighten out?"

Jim came over with a sigh, Lucifer refusing to leave his perch. "Us," he replied. "When I left this morning, it wasn't an end to our relationship. It just started, for fuck's sake! I haven't decided if it's going to last or not. But I do want to continue attempting it. Only if you're willing as well though. When I left, I simply needed to clear my head. See, my mind doesn't work the way everyone else's does. It's much faster and more complex. The trouble with that is I can't make it stop. So it gets louder and louder until eventually I need time to myself to get rid of the clutter and straighten out the things I do need. When I spent the night and woke up without recollection of the night, I did panic. But even after you told me what happened, I needed time to remember what I could and piece things together. So me leaving wasn't an end to anything. And it certainly was no reason for you to get sloppy and allow yourself to be caught. If it happens again, I will have to fire you. And, as specified in your contract, firing means you will have to be killed. I can't have someone who knows my Empire and its inner workings to go to another company and share my secrets."

Sebastian nodded and sighed, running a hand over his face. "I understand," he replied with a nod. "I would never tell people about your business. Even if we broke up, I wouldn't share that," he insisted. "But when you left, I thought it was because you didn't want to be with me. So I was grieving. I got pissed and sloppy and it won't happen again. You have my word on that. I thought I'd gotten them all, but I clearly didn't. I'll be more careful from now on. And if I make another mistake in terms of my work, you can kill me on the spot. I won't fight it. Hell, I'd do it myself if you told me to. I never want to endanger you."

"What you want or don't want is beside the point, Moran. The only thing that matters is what you do. And right now, what you're doing is showing me that I made a mistake hiring you. If you can't show me that you're meant to work here and you're serious about your duties, then your position will be terminated, as will you. Is that understood?" the smaller yet terrifying man told him firmly.

"Of course, sir," Sebastian answered, nodding stiffly. Then he sighed. "I don't suppose there's any chance you'd want to stay for dinner, since you're here," he offered quietly. "I mean, I was going to have something for myself soon anyway. My work is done for today. And I'm sure you could use a break, even if you aren't finished yet."

Jim glanced around, then smiled and nodded. "I'd like that," he decided. "What are we having?"

"Why don't you tell me what your favourite meal is and I'll see what I can do about making it?" Sebastian offered with a small grin.

"Well.......I do enjoy a nice lobster," Jim told him with a chuckle. "But I think tonight, some roast chicken would do."

Sebastian smirked. "Well, sorry to disappoint, but I had my last lobster a while back," he teased. "But I do still have some chicken. Let me get it ready for you. Oh, and you don't have to spend the night tonight. Or have any alcohol. I don't want you to panic again. But if you do, I can let you stay in the guest room. It's not much, since I've only lived here for a little while. But I'm sure it's up to your standards, since you picked the flat."

Jim laughed a bit and nodded. "I think I'd like to stay, actually. As long as you have something Luci can eat," he commented. At this point, the large Maine Coon had moved to sit in the chair next to Jim at the table, as though he were expecting to be fed the same thing Jim was getting.

"Well...let me check. If I don't have something, I bet I could find someone who does. Actually....my brother has a kitten that his boyfriend, Richard, convinced him to foster. Poor thing's sick and they don't want to risk it passing whatever it's got to Richard's bunnies," Sebastian explained.

Jim raised a brow.  "Richard? And he has pet rabbits?" he questioned. "Let me guess....Richard Brook. And he has 4 rabbits named Snow White, Tinkerbell, Merida, and Aurora," he told the other. 

"Yeah, how'd you know?" the blonde asked. 

"He's my brother," he answered.

"Seriously? No, you've gotta be kidding. There's no way our brothers are dating too," Sebastian chuckled as he prepared their dinner.

"No. I'm completely serious. Actually, you could call them right now. Richard tells me they have a date tonight," he commented. "But I doubt you want to interrupt either of our dates. They're likely caring for their new baby cat and we are having dinner and a lovely conversation."

Sebastian smiled and nodded. "Absolutely. I won't interrupt the date, unless I can't find something for Lucifer to eat," he agreed.

They went about their night together, just chatting and enjoying one another's company. The night actually went fairly well and Jim decided to stay for the night. He didn't have much alcohol that night and was completely sober when he decided to stay. He cuddled up to Sebastian, Luci in his lap and Fritz at their feet as they watched a film together. But as it started getting late and Jim began to yawn, Sebastian smiled and carried him to bed in the guest room. He tucked the other in, leaving the door open so Luci could go in and out as he pleased. Fritz went to bed with his master, curled up at the foot of the bed as the blonde showered and went to sleep for the night.


	8. Marriage Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I loved writing all of this fluff :) Just in a fluffy mood.

Time passed and Jim and Sebastian kept their relationship going. They argued over various things, from leaving wrappers from sweets all over the flat to shooting the target's wife and alerting him before killing him. There were more good points than bad though, and the sex was definitely one of them. While Jim typically wasn't much for sex, there were certain days when he was practically insatiable. 

But Jim also had various other moods that could fluctuate at any given moment. He could go from being happy to furious in a nanosecond. But Sebastian had learned how to handle his lover's moods over the years. When Jim was happy, it was no problem. The tan sniper just attempted to keep him happy as long as possible. When he was sad, he needed sweets and cuddles. But if it was a depressive episode, he needed time alone, but away from any sharp objects. Sebastian kept an eye on him during those episodes, as well as the manic episodes. During either, Jim could easily hurt himself, even if he didn't mean to. So while he allowed Jim to have his space, he also made sure to keep the Irishman in view as often as possible.

Work could trigger any number of moods in Jim, which in turn could bring about any reaction. Often, people at work angered Jim and ended up being tortured before they were slaughtered and fed to tigers in India or sharks off the coasts of the States. Their families, of course, had no idea what their relative was doing for work and therefore was told that they had gone missing. There would be a search for a few weeks before it was determined they must have died. That is, unless Jim was feeling particularly malicious, in which case the family was killed as well. Jim had no remorse though. And there was no sappy backstory to go with his reason either. There was no "Oh, I was abandoned as a child" or "I was beaten". He killed for the money. He was bored and irritated by the people he was forced to share this world with, so he occasionally let out his frustration by killing some of the morons that inhabited the earth. People came to him for help disappearing, he got to fake a death, or arrange a real death. And then he got to watch Sherlock dance. That was all there was to it. And he had not a single drop of remorse.

Sebastian, on the other hand, had a different motivation for killing. He occasionally felt a bit bad when he had to kill someone's kid, but really, when they didn't have their parents and likely wouldn't get much of an education because of that, why should he let them suffer? Sebastian loved kids, but he loved Jim more. He'd do anything the man asked, even if it meant killing himself. He wouldn't kill Jim though. If that happened, then the blonde was dying too. He wasn't about to live in a world without his magpie. That was one of Sebastian's nicknames for his lover. Other than kitten or king. Sometimes prince. But he loved the man no matter what pseudonym he went by and was completely devoted to him.

One evening while they were lying on the sofa together, Jim resting his head against Sebastian's chest with the sniper's arm around his shoulders, Sebastian decided to strike up a rather sentimental conversation, something Jim wasn't big on.

"Hey, babe.....What do you think about marriage?" the blonde asked.

"I told you not to call me that," Jim muttered, then sighed. "Marriage is a pointless institution brought about by religion and forced upon the rest of the world. The traditions attached to it are ridiculous and pointless. Why do you ask?""

"No reason. I just was thinking about it because my cousin's getting married," Sebastian told him, hoping Jim wouldn't see through his lie.

"We're not going," Jim replied simply, too busy working on his laptop to notice that Sebastian wasn't telling him the truth. 

"I know. I was just thinking about it. Though I would like to show you off to my family," he commented.

"Sebastian. We. Are. Not. Going. Is that understood?" Jim answered firmly, raising a brow at his significant other.

"Understood, sir," Sebastian sighed. 

"I'm not being mean, tiger," Jim sighed, kissing Sebastian softly. "No pouting. You know I hate that. But if you're good tonight, maybe I'll let you see the pants I bought just for you. I wore them today, you know," he purred with a smirk that could only mean lingerie was in his near future if things went well.

Sebastian smiled, returning the little kiss. "No pouting," he agreed. "Oh, I think I can behave if it means seeing my kitten in something sexy," he hummed.

The night continued as it usually did, with the two lovebirds together on the sofa, talking to one another for hours on end. They occasionally sat in silence though. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence for either man involved. They simply didn't need to be talking all the time. They just enjoyed being together. 

After a few hours together talking and doing some work, along with a few other things, the two went to bed. Jim showered first, emerging with steam rolling out after him. He had a teal towel wrapped around his waist and had his hair blow dried so it wouldn't drip onto his silk, royal purple pajamas. The pajamas had a crown with 'JM' initialed in script writing beneath it on the breast pocket. The brunette climbed into bed on the right side, always needing to be by the door so that Sebastian's body blocked the light in the morning. Sebastian didn't mind though. As long as he got to sleep in the same bed as Jim. 

The brunette had hardly been returning to his own flat recently. Lucifer's bowl and toys were at Sebastian's flat, as well as cat brushes, beds, and treats. Jim had made himself at home in the flat as well, bringing his clothes, toothbrush, and various other personal items. Sebastian loved it. They were living together and just seemed to mesh easily. Sure, there was the occasional argument about how to do certain things, but it was always resolved. They were doing well together.

Lucifer was finally starting to accept Fritz as well. The Mine Coon had grown to tolerate the dog's energy level and would occasionally bat the tennis ball across the room for Fritz to chase. Likewise, the German Shepherd had learned the signs of a tantrum in the cat and made sure to back off when he noticed them. If Lucifer's tail grew larger and he started to growl, Fritz immediately retreated to another spot in the room and waited until he was sure the cat had calmed down. Everyone in the flat was learning the habits and limits of one another and everyone was working on getting along and adjusting. 

The men continued to work with one another and the animals always did their jobs side by side with their masters. Everything went on as usual. That is, until one day on his break, Sebastian stopped by a jewelry shop and picked up a ring he'd been saving up for. He was going to do it. He was going to propose to Jim Moriarty. He just hoped the man said yes. After all, he knew Jim wasn't big on the idea of marriage. But he'd planned out something that he was sure they could agree on. Something simple with just them in suits, a couple of friends and family members, maybe some employees, and the minister. They didn't have to recite vows or anything like that. They could get the marriage certificate, exchange rings, kiss, and go home to get ready for their honeymoon. He just hoped that Jim said yes. 


	9. To Marry or Not to Marry?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick chapter for the holidays. Happy Holidays, everyone!

That evening, Sebastian made Jim's favourite meal. Well, besides lobster. He made sure to make all of their favourites and set it all out, even going to get Jim's favourite wine for the night. He brought out the crystal glasses Jim had gotten for them and made sure everything looked perfect. He'd gotten all of his work done early so he'd beat Jim home and have time to set all of this up. Jim still had to work for a few more hours, which gave Sebastian enough time to cook, clean, and get into the suit that Jim had insisted on buying for him. It fit perfectly, of course. It was just that Sebastian hardly ever wore suits. He thought it made him look like he had a rod up his arse. But that was beside the point. He was wearing it tonight for Jim.

He lit candles and made sure everything was absolutely perfect, the ring tucked away in his coat pocket. Jim came home shortly after Sebastian had set everything up and glanced around. 

"What's all this for?" Jim asked, smiling at the decor. 

Sebastian shrugged. "Just something special for us. We've been together for a while now and never had an anniversary celebration. So I thought it would be nice to have a little something tonight," he replied. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing big."

Jim just smiled and took off his shoes and coat, coming to sit at the table. "It looks amazing, tiger," he purred, kissing Sebastian's cheek.

Sebastian smiled and sat down. He enjoyed the meal he'd made, though he was worried through the entire dinner. What if Jim said no? What if the Irishman laughed at him for even thinking it would be a good idea? What if it pissed the man off and Jim left him? Maybe he shouldn't do this. Maybe he should return the ring and forget all about marriage. But he couldn't do that. He was in love with Jim Moriarty. And goddammit, he was going to propose and make sure the man knew just how loved he was. 

"I'll be right back," Sebastian told Jim, interrupting a bit. "Sorry. There's just something I forgot to do." 

"All right....I'll wait here then," he commented.

Sebastian nodded and rushed off to the bedroom where Lucifer was resting on the bed. "C'mere, Luci," he murmured, even as the cat growled at him. He attached the ring to Lucifer's collar and smiled. "Perfect. Now, c'mere, Fritz," he called the dog, slipping a note in his collar. "There we go. Now, go get Jim," he ordered the dog. Fritz rushed off then, running over to Jim.

"Hey, sweetie. Where's your master? He ran off during our dinner," Jim chuckled, petting Fritz gently. He furrowed his brow as he noticed the note tucked in the collar. "What's this?" he asked, opening it to read. As he began reading the note, Sebastian started reciting it word for word as he came out with Lucifer in his arms.

"Jim Moriarty," the blonde began. "We've been together for the best years of my life. I hope they've been the best of yours too. You saved me from a life of drugs and alcohol and likely a premature death. I can't thank you enough for that. But I hope the rest of our lives will be enough time to at least get half way there. I love you more than anything in the world and I know you feel the same, even if you don't like saying it all the time. I never want us to have to be apart again, even though I know it will have to happen. I love you with my entire being, James Moriarty. And I want to spend the rest of our lives together. So will you do me the honor of marrying me?" He put Lucifer down then and stayed on one knee as the cat rushed over to Jim and sat in his lap with the ring on his collar. 

Jim gasped softly, taking the ring from Lucifer's collar. "You.....you want to marry me?" he asked softly. "You planned all of this just to propose, didn't you? Even though you know how I feel about marriage and romance and all of that?"

"Jim, I planned it. I promise. We won't have anything big unless you want it. I know you think a lot of it is dull, and we can take those parts out. It'll just be you, me, a few guests, a minister, and an employee for the marriage certificate. It won't be anything we don't have to do," Sebastian insisted.

"I can't believe you would do all of this. You snuck around behind my back and planned every little thing just so I couldn't say no to your bloody proposal," Jim snarled, worrying Sebastian. "You know exactly how I feel about you. Why do you need me to say it in front of everyone?! Why do you need to make a big deal out of all of this?! Couldn't you just be happy with what we already have? Why does this have to be such a big deal to you?!" He sighed, running a hand over his face. Sebastian was speechless. Was this a no? "Sebastian, I love you. I do. And.....I do have an answer for you."

"What is it?" Sebastian asked, concern obvious in his tone. He would be crushed if Jim said no.

"Yes," Jim told him, smiling softly.

"Yes?" Sebastian echoed.

"Yes," Jim repeated. "As much as I hate wedding traditions, I do love you. And, seeing how this is important to you, I'm willing to stand up in front of everyone and tell them exactly how I feel about you. Now, get over here and put this ring on me, tiger. And then we can have a bit of a.....celebration," he purred with a smile.

Sebastian chuckled and got up, going over to the brunette and slipping the ring on his finger. "I love you, Kitten," he murmured, kissing Jim gently. 

"I love you too, tiger," Jim whispered, returning the kiss.


	10. Marriage and Off for the Honeymoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff for everyone! Jim and Seb get married and the family is introduced.

Sebastian and Jim worked for months to prepare for the wedding. 54 months, to be exact. Jim was so precise on every detail and insistent that everything had to be perfect that it took over two years to arrange their marriage. Sebastian considered breaking it off from stress multiple times. But his love for the madman kept him with his partner and they planned the whole thing together. Though really, Jim was the one who decided the details. Sebastian just had ideas for the location and the rings, as well as having their pets involved. Jim was the one who picked clothes, floral arrangements, guests, and music, along with many other details.

But, 2 and 1/2 years after Sebastian's proposal, the blonde was finally standing in front of the court house in a black suit and bow tie with Fritz at his side and Lucifer across from him. His brother, Severin, was standing behind him with a smile as they watched Jim come down the makeshift aisle with his siblings, Richard and Janine, behind him. Once he reached Sebastian and the minister, Jim picked Lucifer up and placed the cat on his shoulders, in his usual place. Both animals behaved themselves through the ceremony as their masters confessed their love for one another. When the minister asked for the rings, Fritz got to his feet and barked, raising his head to show the rings that were attached to his collar. The minister chuckled and presented them with the rings.

"I now announce you man and husband," he announced with a smile once the rings had been exchanged. "You may kiss your husband."

Both men grinned and kissed each other thoroughly, forgetting for a moment that they were in front of family and snogging, groping each other. Janine cleared her throat with a smirk though, chuckling when Jim and Sebastian pulled back with a blush. They went back down the aisle with one another, heading into the courthouse to sign their marriage certificate and make it all official. Afterwards, the grooms and wedding party all went back to Jim and Sebastian's flat to have some cake and wine and celebrate the marriage. Sebastian had insisted they take a short honeymoon before returning to work, so they would be leaving in a few hours. But for now, they just enjoyed spending some time with their family and pets.

"Don't worry, Jimmy. Luci will be just fine while you're gone," Janine assured her brother with a chuckle. "I'll take good care of him, just like you do. But I'm sure he'll miss you."

"I'm still leaving instructions for you, Janine," Jim insisted. "Luci's very particular about when and what he's fed, and his schedule. You have to make sure you stick to everything I write down for you. You know I'll be able to tell if you don't follow my instructions."

"Yes, I know. Now stop worrying. You're leaving for your honeymoon soon. Pay attention to your husband, not your cat. He'll survive for a bit."

"Same for you, Seb. I'll take care of Fritz. I know how he gets when you're away and I'll take perfect care of him. I've done it before, haven't I?" Severin insisted.

"Yes, and last time I let you watch him, he had pink nails when I came home," Sebastian reminded him. "I don't want anything like that happening again. All right? No coloured fur, nails, eyes, nothing. Got it?"

"Of course. I won't colour anything on him. All right? I swear," Severin agreed with a chuckle. "Don't worry about a thing. Both of your pets will be just fine while you two are gone. Just focus on having fun while you two are away. You're having the shortest honeymoon in history. You have to focus on yourselves."

"That's doubtable. We'll be away for three days. It's the longest I've been away from my Empire since the day I began it. But Sebastian insisted," Jim told them.

"Yes, I did. Because as much as you may hate wedding traditions, I'm determined to have our honeymoon. Besides, I know how much you love our sex," Sebastian purred, holding Jim close by his waist and kissing him gently.

"Mmmm, I certainly do," Jim hummed with a smile, returning the kiss happily.

"All right, you two. Save it for the honeymoon!" Richard giggled with a soft blush. "I'll make sure both pets are well cared for. I swear. If it makes you feel better, they can stay with me and my bunnies. I'll take care of Fritz and Luci just like I do for Snow White, Aurora, Tinkerbell, and Merida," he assured them.

Jim nodded as he pulled back. "Don't worry. I know Richie babies his rabbits. Our little ones will be in good hands with him," he told Sebastian.

The blonde smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Richard. But I think Fritz and Lucifer would be happy staying here. This is where they've lived for ages. They might panic if we took them somewhere new for such a short time period."

Richard nodded. "Of course. I'll take care of them here. Don't worry about a thing. We'll take care of everything. Now, get out of here, lovebirds!" he chuckled, practically pushing them out of the flat. 

Sebastian and Jim chuckled. "Let us get our bags and we'll get out and head for the airport," Sebastian assured them, heading for their room with Jim just behind him. They soon reemerged with their bags, one bag for Sebastian and three for Jim. 

"You're only going for three days, Jimmy. You sure you need that much stuff?" Janine commented, raising a brow. 

"Sebastian insisted we go to a beach. So I needed a bag for the beach to include my swimsuit, sunscreen, extra sunscreen, sunglasses, aloe vera lotion, and any other sun protection products. The rest are my clothes for the trip, among various other necessary items. And yes, I needed to pack a bag just for our sexual intercourse."

Sebastian sighed. "Come on, Jimmy. Let's go, before you tell the entire room any more about our sex life," he commented, leading them out of the flat. They headed for the airport, making sure to arrive a few hours before their flight. They'd be going to San Sebastian, Spain, at Jim's insistence. He'd insisted it would be hilarious. Since they both already spoke Spanish, it would be fine for them. So the happy couple headed off for their honeymoon for the next few days, planning to enjoy one another's company, as well as a few other things.....


	11. Sex Holiday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut for everyone! THIS CHAPTER IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO THE PLOT AND CAN BE SKIPPED!

Upon arriving in San Sebastian, Jim and Sebastian checked into their hotel and went to their room. Since Jim had insisted on paying for the room, they of course had the most lavish one in the entire building. It had a king size bed with silk sheets and pillowcases, along with wine and lobster that room service had delivered before they arrived. Their room also had a gorgeous view of the beach they would be visiting later and a balcony that overlooked it. Everything was absolutely perfect.

"You really went all out for someone who doesn't like marriage," Sebastian teased as he unpacked and put his things away. He'd done minimal packing, only bringing a few outfits and some sun screen, a swim suit, and his shower things. 

"Well, I do plan on spending most of our trip here," Jim commented with a smirk. "And you'll be right here with me, won't you tiger? Right here in this big, soft bed, consummating our marriage?"

Sebastian hummed with a smirk, almost purring as he stalked over to Jim with the grace of a Bengal tiger. "Oh, of course," he rumbled deeply, eyes growing more and more predatory the closer he got.

Jim crept back towards the bed, slowly undressing himself without breaking eye contact with Sebastian. "Come and get me, tiger," he purred, leaning back against the pillows.

Sebastian hardly needed more of a command before pouncing on his partner. He kissed and nipped down Jim's neck, being sure to leave plenty of marks all over the man. The tall, blonde, chiseled sniper stripped himself as well, quickly removing his tight, black shirt that perfectly showed off his torso and tossed it aside without a care as to where it landed. His hands headed for his trousers next, drawing Jim's deep, lustful eyes towards the large bulge that was growing there. The brunette smirked and reached forward to cup it teasingly, massaging his partner's erection and humming as he felt it grow under his palm.

"Ohh, you naughty thing," Sebastian moaned as his lover started giving him a handjob. He groaned and rocked his hips, his hands pausing for a moment.

"Ah, ah, ah," Jim scolded, stopping his hand. "Don't forget what you're doing. Only good boys get rewards. Now come on, Tiger. Daddy won't wait forever," he purred.

Sebastian couldn't help chuckling softly before reaching down to finish stripping Jim, since the criminal had stopped after only removing his own tie and starting to unbutton his shirt. The dirty blonde--in more ways than one ;)--finished unbuttoning and removing Jim's shirt, then moved on to take off his trousers and pants in one go. Sebastian managed to remove his own trousers and pants as well, then grabbed a pre-lubed condom and slid it onto his already erect member. He was practically leaking already.

"So eager already, tiger?" Jim chuckled as he palmed himself as well. "Perfect. Just don't tire yourself out. This is only round one."

Sebastian smirked and moaned, stroking himself a little more before crouching a bit to stretch his partner. Slicking his fingers with lube he'd brought, he pressed two inside the other and scissored him for just a few moments before adding two more fingers. He knew Jim loved it rough, but he was careful not to tear anything. He didn't need either of them getting injured, especially on their first day of the honeymoon. 

Jim moaned as he was stretched open, opening his legs to give the other more access to him. "Fuck, Bassy. More!" he panted, eyes scrunched closed. As much as he may have hated typical wedding traditions, this was his favourite. Consummating the marriage. It was certainly the best excuse for sex anyone could ever invent. Well other than a full month of sex. But that was only because Sebastian had refused to have sex every day for a month, insisting that it would leave them both too sore to do much of anything. 

Soon enough, Sebastian's length was pressed completely inside Jim, the blonde pausing for a moment to let them both adjust. But the second Jim started whining and moving, Sebastian started thrusting sharply inside the other. Each thrust earned a grunt and moan from Sebastian and a long, low moan from Jim as the blonde aimed for his new husband's prostate each time. Sure enough, he found it and continued to slam into it with each thrust of his hips. It didn't take long before Sebastian could feel a warmth coiling in the pit of his stomach, his cock leaking inside the man.

"Fuck, Jimmy......So close," he warned. 

"Me too," Jim agreed, squirming a bit like he always did when he was close to his orgasm. Soon enough, Jim came with a yelp of Sebastian's name. And, feeling Jim tighten around him, Sebastian spurted hot, white strings of cum into Jim as he moaned the criminal's name.

Once both men had finished their orgasms, Sebastian pulled out and laid down next to his husband, panting softly. The men cuddled close, nuzzling each other gently as they tried to catch their breath.

"How's that.....for consummating.....our marriage?" Sebastian panted as he worked to catch his breath.

Jim giggled, cuddling close and nuzzling Sebastian's chest. "Perfect," he sighed happily, pulling the covers over them so they could rest. Sebastian just smiled and held the other close, sighing as they both dozed off, Jim in Sebastian's arms.


	12. Pets and Futures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The last chapter of the Moran-Moriarty clan. Thanks for reading this far and sorry for the angst you're about to experience.

Jim and Sebastian arrived back from their honeymoon three days later, Jim red from being out in the sun. As much as people had teased him for bringing so many skin care products, he'd needed them. His pale Irish complexion had nearly guaranteed that he would end up looking like a lobster when they came home. But no one had listened to him until now.

"What did I tell you?" Jim grumbled as they arrived at Heathrow Airport from their honeymoon. "You knew I'd get a sunburn and you still insisted on spending so much time at the beach. Even when you promised to put sunscreen on me all the time. I still got burned!"

"I put sunscreen on as often as I was supposed to! It's not my fault you're so easily burned," Sebastian insisted. "But if it helps, you look adorable. Look, we'll put some make up on you and work from home until your sunburn is healed. And when you absolutely have to have an in person meeting, we'll send a representative. All right? Everything will be fine."

This moment, when the pair returned from their honeymoon, could basically sum up their entire lives together. Complicated, yet beautifully simple. Arguing, and still completely in love. Hectic, yet elegant. Such was the life of the Moran-Moriarty pair. And both men were equally content with how their lives turned out together. Sure, there were times when they would get upset with one another or circumstances outside their own control. Really, that was what frustrated Jim the most. Things he couldn't control. But at the end of the day--or sometimes, not until the end of the month--the only thing they needed to be happy was one another. As long as they were together, they were happy.

Their joy may not have come in what others may consider the typical fashion. They didn't often exchange gifts or tell each other of their love or anything of the sort. But Sebastian bore a scar on his right hip claiming him as Jim's property, as well as multiple other scars from the man and other instances. Jim himself had allowed one scar on his body. That one pink mark was an 'SM' on his lower back, where no one else was likely to see it. But each of the men knew constantly that he bore a mark of his lover, no matter where their rings were or how far apart they may be. It hardly mattered to them. They knew they belonged to one another and neither of them would ever risk their relationship.

The men lived together for the rest of their lives, parting only for work. When it came to family, though neither was particularly close to his own, they both made the holiday visits, as well as trips when a relative was ill or dying. Fritz and Lucifer, of course, remained with their masters for years to come, but one day both animals were getting older and weaker. Fritz had reached a ripe old age of 15 years when Sebastian decided it was kindest to take him to the vet and have him put to sleep. The German Shepherd was half-blind and deaf, as well as diabetic and arthritic. He was limping and hardly had quality of life. So Sebastian, as heart-breaking as it was for him, brought his life long friend to the vet and had him put to sleep. That was the first time that Jim saw his husband cry for the first time, and he was there to hold Sebastian's hand through it all.

A funeral was arranged by the brunette for his lover's best mate, making sure it was dignified and special. He said a few words and allowed Sebastian to do the same. Severin, Richard, Janine, and Lucifer were in attendance as well and there wasn't a dry eye the entire time. Even Lucifer seemed particularly glum that his former partner in crime was now gone. He hardly made a sound that day, apart from the occasional, pitiful "mmrrrooow!" He clearly missed the dog, even tough they'd fought often enough. Sebastian was hardly in a mood to talk or spend much time with anyone for weeks afterwards, even taking time off from work to mourn his best friend. Jim did his best to cheer the man up, but nothing seemed to help. All he could offer was cuddles and doing things he knew his partner enjoyed.

But it was only a few months later that Lucifer, at 17 years, was found lying limp in his bed, not a single breath leaving his large, furry frame. Sebastian discovered him and gasped softly. "Oh, no," he whispered when he noticed. He woke Jim and told him quietly what he'd found when he'd gone to feed Luci that morning and Jim rushed to the bedroom to see it for himself. He burst into tears, one of the few moments he ever allowed anyone to see him being weak. He was inconsolable for months afterwards, refusing to do his job and having Sebastian take over the Empire. Sebastian understood though. After all, he'd been the same way after losing Fritz. It was a heartbreaking pain like nothing else either man could ever imagine.

It took two years before either of them was ready to even look at another animal again. This time they visited a shelter together and debated between getting a cat or dog. Or perhaps both. They ended up leaving with a red, male Chow Chow they named Jinx and a male, black and white Birman they named Banshee. They knew no new pets could possibly replace the ones they had lost. But Jinx and Banshee were wonderful companions and work partners, easily there when needed and calm when left alone for a bit. Of course, they were rarely far from their masters, who made sure they were trained in multiple languages. They received the best care and attention any pet could possibly imagine and both men and beasts lived happily together for their foreseeable futures. 

Pets:

[Fritz with a neighborhood cat](http://lovemeow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/tumblr_m75v3fsMrD1qi9meno5_1280.jpg)

  [Lucifer during meetings](http://littlecatpaws.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/maine-coon.jpg)

  [Jinx fully grown](http://images.sodahead.com/polls/003445029/033481919_Chow20Chow4_answer_6_xlarge.jpeg)

  [Banshee home at last](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/63/7a/96/637a96ddf5147b2a5a6cda99032f4032.jpg)


End file.
